We shall never surrender
by Garnet-Moon
Summary: Arthur takes courage from his leader's words as he feels the pain of Germans bombs destroy his cities and kill his people. This will not break him. This will not break his people. Historical fic-WW2-The Blitz


**Disclaimer: The Hetalia manga and anime series do not belong to me**

"We shall never surrender"

Arthur bit back a scream of pain as he felt the damned Luftwaffe release another barrage of bombs over his capital city. He resisted the urge to cover his ears so that the screams of his people would be blocked out and he could pretend that this wasn't happening. So this was Germany's plan eh? Cause his people to panic and flee for the lives, to bring him to his knees and "negotiate" a crippling peace. Ha. Clearly the boy hadn't done his homework. There was no way in hell that he would ever surrender. It wasn't even an option. He was the last remnant of Western European power that could possibly oppose Germany. France, Belgium, Holland, they'd all fallen. He was standing alone.

He couldn't suppress the wince as he felt another fire break out in the city. That would definitely leave a burn. Of course it wasn't just London that was being hit. Ports all across his land were being bombarded and he could feel every single bomb that the bastards dropped. His grip tightened on whatever he was holding. This would not break him. He was one of the oldest countries in the world, his empire spanned across the globe and his people were some of the stubbornest in history. No. He would not break, and soon Ludwig would find that out. It would take more than this to destroy him. As another bomb hit he closed his eyes and recalled the speech his newest boss had given in the House of Commons in June...

_We shall go on to the end._

Another wince only this one was softened by the pride in his eyes and the sudden straightness of his stance.

_We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be._

In his minds eye he could see his brave men and women struggling to put out the fires that raged across his cities. The grim stubborn looks of determination and defiance. They may not be the nicest people in the world but they were his, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He was only half an island true but his people had more determination, bravery and strength then those Nazi's could ever dream of having.

_We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills;_

One day the shoe would be on the other foot. One day Hitler would be stopped and this madness would come to an end. He could see the signs; a repetition of the "Great War" from which he had scars that hadn't even begun to heal yet. One day this was too would end. But until that day...

_We shall never surrender._

...and until that day he had to hold out as best he could. He remembered Hitler's early offers of peace to Britain. The man had actually thought that he would sit back and let him conquer Europe". That he would agree to share power with him; he could rule the seas and Germany would rule the land. As if he would ever sit back and watch as the freedom of the continent and every other European country was compromised.

He spat out a mouthful of blood on the floor then grinned a little maniacally. Let them drop the bombs. Let them blow everyone of his buildings to smithereens then watch as his citizens simply built them up again. This war was far from over.

_Hitler knows he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free, and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands;_

OK, so maybe his boss did have the flair for the dramatic but Arthur needed him right now. The mans speeches kept him going. Even now, when he should have been curled up on his bed praying for the night to end, those words echoed in his skull and gave him the strength to stand. Failure was not an option.

_But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister and perhaps more protracted by the lights of a perverted science._

The gits in Berlin were already writing him off. After all, there was no way he could last against the almighty power of the third Reich right? They were already turning their greedy eyes to Russia, poor sods. He didn't know who he felt more sorry for Russia or Germany.

Unwillingly his eyes started to water as he thought of all the others out there supporting him. It wasn't just his men in the skies risking their lives. Cursing himself he wiped them away furiously, this was no time for tears...

_Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties..._

His war cabinet had another strategy in mind and the RAF were still keeping the enemy at bay. He needed to know what their next move was.

_...and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years,_

He stepped forward without faltering as another burn blistered his back. A pride glowing in those green eyes that had seen empires rise and fall before his.

_...men will still say..._

He was small, had a nasty temper and as obstinate as a mule. His people were brave, defiant and possessed backbones of steel. He had fought in hundreds of wars and so had they. They knew what was right and what was not. There was no way they could fall.

"_This was their finest hour"._

**AN: Sorry for the lack of updates on my other stories but I've been really busy with my A-levels and university applications straight after summer. It's going to take time to get back into the swing of writing creatively. Anyway we're studying the second world war in History and I just love the speeches made by Winston Churchill, they are truly inspiring. I tried to capture some of that in this little dabble but I'm not sure if I succeeded. I tried to make it as historically accurate as possible.**

**BTW I used two different speeches here. The first lasts until "We shall never surrender" then it's a second speech Churchill made a little later. Hope you enjoyed. Please review. **


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